ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: paco@innet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 28-08-1997 PART #1/ * Afrique. Force d'intervention interafricaine - Les Etats-Unis n'ont pas tarde a mettre en chantier leur projet de force d'intervention militaire africaine. Ils ont envoye 59 GI's en Ouganda et 60 autres au Senegal. Ils ont comme mission de former des soldats africains afin que, tres vite, puisse etre mise sur pied une force d'intervention continentale, qui pourrait intervenir dans des conflits armes pour imposer la paix, ou qui pourrait assurer des missions humanitaires. Lors de sa derniere reunion a Denver, le groupe des huit pays les plus industrialises avait approuve la mise sur pied d'une telle force, qui avait egalement obtenu le soutien de l'OUA. C'est depuis le genocide au Rwanda que les Etats-Unis estiment que les Africains doivent etre formes a prendre en charge eux-memes leurs problemes. Les Americains se proposent d'offrir un entrainement similaire aux militaires du Malawi, de l'Ethiopie, du Mali et du Ghana. (d'apres Le Soir, Belgique, 25 aout 1997) * Afrique. Journees mondiales de la jeunesse - Ils etaient un million a assister a la messe de cloture des JMJ celebree par le pape a Paris et pres de 350 mille a participer a l'ensemble du programme qui s'etait etale sur une semaine (18-24 aout). Sur ce total, le nombre des pelerins africains - un peu plus de 3.000 - peut paraitre derisoire. Pourtant, jamais les Africains n'avaient ete aussi nombreux et jamais leur presence ne s'etait fait autant ressentir. Les jeunes sont venus de tous les horizons d'Afrique, des pays ou la religion catholique est majoritaire a ceux ou les chretiens sont oublies, marginalises ou meme persecutes. En tete des plus importantes delegations: les anciennes colonies francaises. Les regions d'Afrique ou l'Eglise s'implique activement dans l'action sociale (comme en Tanzanie, au Cameroun ou au Keya) ou dans le processus de reconciliation (comme en Afrique du Sud, au Rwanda, au Burundi) ont envoye des emissaires. Les communautes chretiennes du Soudan, du Nigeria, de Palestine, et meme d'Algerie et des Emirats arabes etaient egalement representes. Motivations communes a tous ces pelerins africains: communier avec des jeunes catholiques du monde entier, porter le temoignage de leur foi et aller a la rencontre de Dieu. (d'apres Jeune Afrique, France, 27 aout 1997) * Afrique du Sud. De Klerk quitte la politique - L'ex-president sud-africain Fredrik De Klerk (61 ans), leader du Parti national (NP), qui lanca le demantelement de l'apartheid au debut des annees 90, a annonce le 26 aout sa decision de se retirer de la vie politique et de son parti. "Il est temps qu'un autre prenne la tete du parti pour preparer les elections de 1999", a-t-il declare. Le president Mandela a rappele son role dans l'histoire sud-africaine: "J'espere que l'Afrique du Sud n'oubliera pas le role que Frederik De Klerk a joue dans la transformation d'un passe douloureux, quelles qu'aient ete ses erreurs. Nous faisons tous des erreurs". Le NP est depuis longtemps en crise, avec des tensions croissantes entre conservateurs, voulant consolider leur clientele de Blancs et et de metis, et progressistes, qui desirent une ouverture plus grande vers l'electorat noir. Les militants les plus reformateurs ont commence a deserter le NP cette annee, sous la houlette de Roelf Meyer. Les rumeurs sur la succession de De Klerk donnent Hernus Kriel, Premier ministre de la province du Cap et tete de file des conservateurs, comme son dauphin le plus probable. (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 27 aout 1997) * Afrique du Sud. Commission verite et reconciliation - L'eventuelle amnistie des assassins de Chris Hani divise l'Afrique du Sud. La Commission verite et reconciliation (TRC) ne parvient pas a faire la lumiere sur le meurtre, en 1993, de ce leader anti- apartheid. L'examen du dossier a ete renvoye au mois de novembre. Ce cas constitue un des plus sensibles parmi ceux examines jusqu'a present par la commission. L'attitude provocatrice des assassins, qui plaident avec froideur et arrogance un "acte de guerre", reveille la colere d'une partie de l'opinion publique noire et alimente le ressentiment a l'egard de la procedure d'amnistie. Les revelations sur les atrocites commises au temps de l'apartheid et l'absence quasi systematique de repentir de la part de leurs auteurs ne font qu'aggraver la situation. C'est pourquoi, beaucoup dans les townships sont opposes a l'amnistie pour les assassins de Hani. (d'apres Le Monde, France, 23 aout 1997) * Algeria. Oil cash to be spent on jobs and houses - The Algerian government is seeking to shore up popular support, with a three- year economic programme whose targets may be difficult to achieve. The lower house of parliament, dominated by pro-government parties after the June elections, has backed the programme which aims to achieve 7% growth by the end of 2000, against 4% last year; build 800,000 homes and create 1.2m jobs. With oil and gas exports accounting for more than 95% of foreign exchange earnings, the government is also aiming to increase oil exports to $2bn by 2000, from $800m now. With high oil prices leading to a surplus in last year's budget, the government has money to spend. (Financial Times, U.K., 22 August 1997) * Algerie. Les massacres continuent - 63 personnes, hommes, femmes et enfants, ont ete egorgees, dans la nuit du 20 au 21 aout, dans le village de Souhane, au sud-est d'Alger. En outre, une douzaine de jeunes filles auraient ete enlevees par le commando de tueurs. Le 23 aout au matin, deux bombes ont explose au passage d'un train a 70 km a l'ouest d'Alger. Huit personnes auraient ete tuees et 28 blessees. Le soir du meme jour, 29 personnes ont ete egorgees dans un village proche de Medea. Au moins quatre personnes ont ete tuees et plus de 60 autres blessees, le 25 aout, par l'explosion d'une bombe dans un marche tres frequente du quartier residentiel d'El Biar, a Alger. Le 26 aout, a l'aube, des assaillants cagoules ont egorge 64 personnes, dont 30 femmes, dans le petit village de Beni Ali, a une soixantaine de km au sud d'Alger. Les rescapes ont affirme que le commando a egalement enleve quatre jeunes filles. Des centaines d'habitants des localites avoisinantes ont quitte la region et descendaient dans l'apres-midi vers la plaine de la Mitidja en emportant des effets personnels. Depuis les elections legislatives du 5 juin dernier on estime que presque 1.000 personnes ont ete massacrees, essentiellement dans la region du sud-est d'Alger, qui echappe a la maitrise de l'armee algerienne. (Liberation, France, 27 aout) * Algeria. Daewoo to invest $1bn in Algeria - On 27 August, South Korea's Daewoo group signed a memorandum of understanding with the Algerian government, promising to inject the first sizeable foreign investments into the country's battered industrial sector. Daewoo will invest up to $1bn in sectors ranging from industrial vehicle production, to hotels. (Financial Times, U.K., 28 August 1997) * Angola. UN turns the screw on UNITA - On 21 August, UNITAžs descent into pariah status quickened as the UN began discussions against UNITA for its persistent refusal to comply with the 1994 Lusaka peace agreement. Sanctions could be announced next week as soon as the Security Council decides on measures that will penalise UNITA but not the rest of the country. The United States, Russia and Portugal are taking the lead in putting pressure on Jonas Savimbi, the UNITA leader, to live up to the agreement. UN diplomats see some form of sanctions as inevitable because of Mr Savimbi's foot dragging. On 24 August, the Washington Post said that the US will support the UNžs new sanctions against UNITA. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 August 1997) * Angola. Message pastoral contre le spectre de guerre - Les eveques d'Angola ont adresse, le 30 juillet, un message pastoral aux fideles. Ils invitent tous les hommes de bonne volonte a tirer un enseignement des longues annees de guerre et a eloigner le spectre d'une nouvelle guerre qui menace le pays. Apres avoir reconnu les progres realises, les eveques soulignent que, ces derniers temps, "nous assistons a un dechainement dangereux de tensions, qui remettent en cause tout le travail entrepris: actions de destabilisation dans differentes regions du pays, intoxication de l'opinion publique par les moyens de communication, qui semblent avoir pour but de presenter la fatalite de la guerre comme inevitable". Ils lancent un appel vibrant pour rompre immediatement avec tout ce qui pourrait favoriser le climat de guerre. (d'apres Fides, Rome, 22 aout 1997) * Burundi. Talks postponed - Peace talks on Burundi, which were to have started on 25 August in Arusha, were cancelled on 22 August, an aide to mediator Julius Nyerere said. The decision to cancel the peace talks followed a statement on 22 August from Burundi's government, calling for a postponement. The aide said that if the Burundian government did not participate, "there was no point in holding the meeting". (InfoBeat, USA, 22 August 1997) * Burundi/Tanzanie. Les relations s'enveniment - A la suite du refus du gouvernement burundais de se rendre a Arusha, le processus de negociations multipartites qui devait s'ouvrir le lundi 25 aout afin de resoudre la crise au Burundi a ete stoppe. Les relations entre le Burundi et la Tanzanie se sont considerablement envenimees ces dernieres semaines. Le ministre burundais des Affaires etrangeres, Luc Rukingama, qui a demande le 22 aout le report des negociations, a accuse la Tanzanie d'offrir un refuge aux rebelles hutu et a dit que la Tanzanie etait a l'origine de la decision, le week-end precedent, de maintenir les sanctions contre le Burundi. La tension entre les deux pays est encore montee d'un cran le 23, quand le gouvernement tanzanien a accuse le Burundi de masser des troupes a sa frontiere dans le but, selon lui, d'attaquer des camps de refugies burundais. Le ministre des Affaires etrangeres tanzanien a averti qu'en cas d'attaque son pays exercerait des represailles militaires. Le 24 aout, Rukingama a dementi les accusations tanzaniennes. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 aout 1997) * Burundi. Peace talks suspended - On 26 August, Julius Nyerere suspended the Burundian peace talks in northern Tanzania, crippled by the Burundian government's refusal to attend. The talks were aimed at ending Burundi's ethnic conflict and political crisis. More than 150,000 people have been killed in massacres and civil was since Tutsi soldiers murdered Burundi's first elected Hutu president in an attempted coup in 19993. Officials said the talks were suspended shortly after the former Tanzanian president met Hutu rebel groups. A regional summit will decide what to do next. (InfoBeat, USA, 26 August 1997) * Burundi. Negociations suspendues - A cause de l'absence du gouvernement de Buyoya, qui a mis en cause la neutralite de la Tanzanie, les pourparlers de paix sur le Burundi a Arusha ont du etre suspendus. Le 26 aout, M. Nyerere a rencontre les delegues presents d'une des quatre guerillas hutu, le CNDD, des membres en exil du parti Frodebu, ainsi que de petits partis tutsi comme le Parena. M. Nyerere a reaffirme "qu'il n'y avait pas d'alternative au dialogue". Il a ensuite annonce la suspension des discussions et a envoye un message a Buyoya, constatant l'echec de l'ouverture des negociations et annoncant la consultation des chefs d'Etat de la region. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 27-28 aout 1997) * Cameroon. IMF approves $219m loan - On 21 August, state radio said that the IMF has approved a new three-year loan worth $219m for Cameroon, under its Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility. Approval of the loan followed the signing by the prime minister, Peter Mafany Musonge, last month, of a letter on intent mapping out planned economic reforms for the next three years. (Financial Times, U.K., 22 August 1997) * Comores. Observateurs de l'OUA - Le gouvernement comorien et les independantistes des iles d'Anjouan et de Moheli ont accepte d'entamer des negociations, qui devraient avoir lieu au debut septembre sous l'egide de l'Organisation de l'unite africaine. Moroni va proposer une "reorganisation" des institutions de l'archipel. L'organe central de prevention des conflits de l'OUA a decide, le 22 aout, de depecher des observateurs qui seront deployes dans les trois grandes iles. Leur mission sera de "contribuer a la restauration de la confiance" au sein de la population. L'organe de prevention des conflits a aussi demande au secretaire general de l'OUA, Salim Ahmed Salim, d'organiser la conference internationale sur les Comores et de prendre contact avec le secretaire general des Nations unies et "les autres acteurs-cles" concernes par la crise. L'objet de ces contacts sera d'amener les donateurs a apporter une reponse aux problemes economiques et sociaux des Comores. (Le Monde, France, 25 aout 1997) * Congo-Brazzaville. Confusion - Le Congo s'enfonce toujours plus dans la confusion politique et militaire. Les affrontements se sont etendus ces derniers jours aux deux principales localites du nord, Impfundo et Ouesso. Declarations et dementis se succedent. La prise de la ville de Ouesso par les partisans de Nguesso a ete dementie par les services de Lissouba. Par contre, la prise du nord de Brazzaville par Lissouba a ete formellement dementie par Nguesso. Pointe-Noire, la capitale du petrole congolais, sous controle de l'armee de Lissouba, reste la seule ville importante encore epargnee par les affrontements, mais pourrait devenir une cible privilegiee pour Nguesso. Les plans de regroupement et d'evacuation de plus d'un millier d'expatries francais sont prets. Par ailleurs, les negociations de Libreville sont toujours dans l'impasse. La radio du president Lissouba a denonce l'attitude du mediateur Omar Bongo et de la France, qui, selon elle, soutiendraient les rebelles. Brazzaville se tourne desormais vers Kinshasa, qui a propose l'envoi d'une force interafricaine. (D'apres Le Monde, France, 23-26 aout 1997) * Congo-Brazzaville. Escalade - Pour la premiere fois, des helicopteres armes du president Lissouba ont bombarde, le 26 aout, les positions de son adversaire Nguesso a M'Pila, dans le secteur est de la capitale. Le conflit, qui a deja fait 7.000 morts, monte ainsi encore d'un cran. Cela survient alors que les negociations devaient reprendre le meme jour a Libreville. La prorogation du mandat presidentiel (qui prend fin officiellement le 31 aout), decidee par le Conseil constitutionnel, proche de Lissouba, a ete rejete par Nguesso. De leur part, les partisans de Lissouba s'opposent a la designation d'un Premier ministre du futur gouvernement d'union nationale dans les rangs des forces de Nguesso, tel que preconise par la mediation internationale. Plus de la moitie de la population de Brazzaville a deja abandonne celle-ci pour fuir les combats. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 aout 1997) * Congo (RDC). 60 schools closed - On 18 August, state radio said that about 60 private elementary and high schools in the capital Kinshasa have been closed, in a crackdown on low standards. It said the three-month-old government of President Laurent Kabila would soon extend the drive to the interior of the vast Central African country. Private schools mushroomed in the former Zaire because of the virtual collapse of the state education system under dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was toppled by Kabila in May. Schools are on summer vacation until next month. (AFJN, Washington, 21 August 1997) * Congo (RDC). Rapatriement des refugies de Tanzanie - La Tanzanie, la R.D. du Congo et le HCR ont signe un accord pour le rapatriement volontaire d'au moins 74.000 refugies congolais actuellement en Tanzanie. Cette signature entre les deux pays avait deja fait l'objet d'un accord de principe le 27 juillet. Au total, pres de 75.000 Congolais ont trouve refuge en Tanzanie. Une grande partie d'entre eux sont arrives en octobre 1996, fuyant les premiers combats entre l'armee de l'ancien president Mobutu et les rebelles de l'Alliance democratique de Kabila. (La Libre Belgique, 23 aout 1997) * Congo (RDC). Arrestations, visite et mission d'enquete - L'administrateur delegue belge de la compagnie ferroviaire congolaise Sizarail, Patrick Claes, a ete place en detention a Kinshasa apres avoir ete arrete pres de Lubumbashi, alors qu'il se rendait en Zambie. Il s'est vu interdire de quitter le territoire congolais. En mai, l'Alliance de Kabila avait nationalise Sizarail et confisque ses avoirs estimes a 60 millions de dollars, considerant que la societe privee (montee avec le soutien de Kengo wa Dondo) servait d'ecran a la privatisation de capitaux d'Etat. Sizarail, dont 51 % des actions sont detenus par la societe sud- africaine Comazar, avait reussi a retablir le trafic sur 3.700 km de voies dans le sud du pays. A la fin du mois de mai, la direction de la societe avait dit son espoir de voir "les autorites congolaises chercher une solution durable" et evoquait la creation d'une autre societe. A voir la tournure recente des evenements, il faut croire que ces tractations n'ont pas abouti. D'autre part, le president de la Federation des entreprises congolaises, Jose Endundo, a ete arrete le 23 aout a Kinshasa. M. Endundo possede une compagnie d'aviation, Alliance Airlines, qui aurait contribue a l'effort de guerre du marechal Mobutu. Entre-temps le president Kabila, accompagne de ses ministres des Affaires etrangeres, des Finances, des Postes et Telecommunications, de l'Economie et des Mines, a commence le 25 aout sa premiere visite officielle en Afrique du Sud. Cette visite coincide avec l'arrivee au Congo de la mission d'enquete des Nations unies sur les massacres de refugies hutu: "On vient de loin, mais il n'est pas sur qu'on ira loin", aurait commente un des membres de la mission a propos des hypotheques qui pesent sur le travail a accomplir. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 aout 1997) * Congo (RDC). Remous a Kinshasa et Lubumbashi - Un etudiant a ete tue et deux autres blesses, le 26 aout, a l'universite de Kinshasa lors d'un accrochage avec des soldats qui ont ouvert le feu sur les jeunes. La fusillade a eclate quand des etudiants ont lance des insultes a des militaires qui passaient a travers la parcelle de l'Institut pedagogique national. Le soldat qui a tire a ete arrete par l'armee. Cet incident s'inscrit dans un accroissement de la tension entre etudiants et armee, qui tente d'implanter des cellules de l'AFDL dans les cites universitaires. Ainsi, dans le meme cadre, a Lubumbashi le 16 aout, 12 etudiants auraient egalement ete arretes. - D'autre part, le 22 aout, le chef de l'Agence nationale de renseignement, Paul Kabongo, a ete arrete et interroge par un militaire, avant d'etre relache le lendemain. Aucune declaration officielle n'a ete faite sur cette confrontation. Assiste-t-on a une lutte pour le partage du pouvoir entre corps d'Etat? On signale par ailleurs des accrochages a l'interieur des forces armees: a Lubumbashi entre policiers militaires rwandophones et ex-gendarmes katangais; et a Kinshasa entre soldats rwandophones et des non rwandophones. Dans les deux cas, il y aurait eu plusieurs victimes. - Le 27 aout, deux anciens ministres, Kamanda wa Kamanda et Kin-Kiey Mulumba, ont annonce la creation du Rassemblement des patriotes congolais, presente comme un mouvement de resistance politique au nouveau regime de Kinshasa. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 28 aout 1997) * Congo (RDC). Mission d'enquete - Huit membres (sur 23) de la mission d'enquete des Nations unies sur les massacres des refugies dans l'ex-Zaire viennent d'arriver a Kinshasa, apres un bras de fer de quatre mois opposant l'ONU et la RDC a ce sujet. Aujourd'hui pas plus qu'hier, la mission n'est assuree de pouvoir travailler librement. Elle doit encore negocier avec le gouvernement de Kabila sa liberte de mouvement et les garanties de confidentialite pour les temoignages recueillis. Kinshasa demande que ses propres medecins legistes accompagnent les enqueteurs sur les sites de fosses communes. Nul ne sait d'ailleurs si certains charniers n'ont pas ete "nettoyes" depuis le printemps dernier et si les temoins eventuels n'ont pas ete intimides. Les revelations sur une implication americaine dans l'entrainement a des actions de guerilla de l'armee de Kigali, ne contribuera pas forcement a ce que toute la verite soit etablie sur les carnages. - Le HCR, pour sa part, a annonce qu'il entamera une operation visant a distinguer, parmi les Hutu rwandais presents en RDC, les refugies "authentiques" de ceux qui sont soupconnes d'avoir participe au genocide de 1994. On ignore toutefois comment il compte s'y prendre. Une operation similaire en Centrafrique s'est heurtee au refus des Hutu de reconnaitre le genocide. (d'apres Le Monde, France, 28 aout 1997) * Egypt. Poultry ban lifted - Egypt has lifted a 10-year ban on the import of poultry, giving foreign suppliers access to a market worth up to $2.4m a year. The Ministry of Trade and Supply revoked the ban only after introducing an 80% tariff -- the maximum allowable to protect local industry. (Financial Times, U.K., 22 August 1997) * Egypt. Mounting protests - On 23 August, in the wake of mounting protests in Egypt's countryside, Human Rights Watch sent a letter to the Egyptian authorities, calling on them to cease their suppression of peaceful political protest against a controversial law, which, if it goes into effect in October, will lift rent control and ease evictions of tenants on agricultural land. (Human Rights Watch, USA, 23 August 1997) * Egypt. Japanese to fund Suez Canal bridge - Japan has agreed to provide $100m in grant aid for the construction of a $160m bridge across the Suez canal, in spite of uncertainty over the Middle East peace process and the region's future economic integration. The 2.4 mile suspension bridge will be 49.5 metres high, to allow the tallest of ships to continue using the canal. A total of 1,262 ships used the canal in May, earning the Egyptian government $162m in fees, according to official figures. The Egyptian government will provide the remaining $60m for the bridge project. Construction of the four-lane bridge will begin next year and take 42 months, at a site 29 miles south of Port Said. The Egyptian government's long-term strategy, is to develop industry and relocate population to the northern Sinai desert. The strategy is based on estimates of 3.2m people living in the northern Sinai by 2017. A 1986 census, the most recent available, revealed that only 171,500 people live in the area. Estimates for increased cross- canal traffic in the next 25 years anticipate a tripling in capacity to around 60,000 vehicles per day. At present, North Sinai is served by ferries, while roads to the south pass through the Ahmed Hamdi tunnel north of Suez. (Financial Times, U.K., 27 August 1997) * Ethiopie. Menace de famine - Sans une aide alimentaire massive, des millions d'Ethiopiens sont menaces de perir par une famine catastrophique. Le gouvernement ethiopien estime a 3,5 millions le nombre d'habitants menaces; les medias parlent du double. L'annee 1996 avait connu une bonne recolte, mais la derniere saison de pluies a ete tres mauvaise. Seul l'ouest du pays a ete epargne par la secheresse. Des experts independants a Addis Abeba estiment que 4,6 millions de personnes sont deja touches par la famine. Des meteorologues attribuent la secheresse a un vent chaud, El Nino, qui sevit tous les huit ans. Mais le professeur Mesfin Wolde Mariam, president de la commission nationale des droits de l'homme, accuse egalement la politique agricole du pays: "Les petits paysans sont contrecarres systematiquement et ne sont plus motives". Les derniers jours, les premiers groupes de paysans desesperes du Tigray et de Wollo sont arrives dans la capitale. (d'apres De Standaard, Belgique, 28 aout 1997) * Kenya. How the Kenyan Press sees the crisis - 13 August: "It's time to give dialogue a chance" (East African Standard). 15 August: "What's behind this dastardly attack at the Likoni area of Mombasa?" (Daily Nation). "The clergy to lead the constitutional reform dialogue process. Hooliganism and criminality are slowly but surely taking root in Kenyan society" (The Weekly Review). 16 August: "Stop the violence, Kenyans urged" (East African Standard). 17 August: "Muslims withdraw from reforms mediation committee" (Sunday Standard). 18 August: "Coastal violence takes an ugly turn (Daily Nation). 18-24 August: "Raiders target Mombasa again as army pulls out. Panic and a feeling of helplessness spreads in the coastal town as the raids widen and -- for the first time since they started last week -- target tourists (East African Standard). (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 22 August 1997) * Kenya. Le pouvoir accuse - L'origine des troubles, qui ont fait au moins 37 morts depuis une semaine autour de Mombasa, reste incertaine. Il n'est pas exclu que des tribus de l'ethnie Mijikenda, excedees par les expropriations decidees par les potentats locaux, aient fini par prendre les armes. Mais l'opposition accuse le parti au pouvoir, la KANU. L'objectif des attaques serait d'inverser le rapport politique avant le scrutin de fin decembre, en chassant les membres d'ethnies non originaires de la cote. La police partage cette analyse. Le 19 aout, Omar Masumbuko, president d'une section jeunesse liee a la KANU, a ete arrete. Le meme jour, la police a tue le chef d'un gang lie a un dirigeant local de la KANU, Karisa Maitha, lui-meme apprehende le 18 aout. Le premier a ete condamne le 20, en compagnie d'une soixantaine d'autres prevenus, pour son implication dans la premiere attaque contre le commissariat de Likoni. Au Parlement aussi les accusations ont surgi: des deputes de l'opposition ont pretendu que Nicholas Biwott, ministre d'Etat a la presidence, s'etait rendu sur la cote "avec deux valises pleines de billets pour payer les casseurs". L'homme a admis le voyage, mais a dementi la retribution des basses oeuvres. -Une nouvelle attaque armee, menee dans la nuit du 21 au 22 aout contre un site d'accueil de 4.000 deplaces au sud de Mombasa, a fait au moins trois morts et pousse a l'exode des milliers de deplaces. Ceux-ci, en majorite membres de tribus de l'interieur du pays, avaient trouve refuge dans l'enceinte de l'eglise catholique de Likoni apres que leurs maisons eurent ete incendiees. Le 21 aout, treize ambassades occidentales ont appele au dialogue et a des reformes au Kenya. Le 22 aout, l'ambassadeur americain a qualifie de "terreur organisee" la vague de violences dans la region de Mombasa. Le 23, le president Arap Moi a visite la region cotiere et appele au calme et a la paix. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 25 aout 1997) * Kenya. In danger of debt defaulting - 21 August: Kenya's central Bank governor, Micah Cheserem, says that Kenya is in danger of defaulting on its $6.1bn external debt, unless the government negotiates a new agreement with the IMF. His comments come as it is announced that an IMF team is due to arrive in Nairobi this weekend to reopen talks on the terms for a new loan. The move follows a call to Michel Camdessus, the IMF managing director, from President arap Moi. 25 August: President Moi meets with IMF officials, to try to revive a $220m loan agreement halted last month because of unchecked official corruption. The talks in Mombasa hearten business leaders and financial markets, helping the shilling regain lost ground. (Financial Times, U.K., 22 & 26 August 1997) * Kenya. 62 charged with raid on police station - On 21 August, a court charged 62 suspects with robbery and violence during a raid on a police station that triggered off more than a week of attacks around Mombasa. The suspects were also charged with arson, and an unlawful oath binding them to kill if they were called upon to do so. The maximum penalty for robbery with violence is death. The accused include Amir Hamisi Ali Banda, prayer leader of the Markaz Mosque in Ukunda, Kenya, and Ali said Chidzondo, chairman of the unregistered National African Democratic Union. On 24 August, police conducted a house to house search in Mombasa for guns lost during the 10 days of violence. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 August 1997 * Kenya. Death of Father Arnold Grol - News has recently reached ANB-BIA, that Father Arnold Grol, M.Afr has died. Readers will recall that Father Grol, a Dutch missionary, devoted a large part of his missionary life to those he called "the marginal people -- the ones everyone else has forgotten". In Nairobi, Kenya's capital, these were initially the "children of the streets", the "parking boys", who had nothing to look forward to, and nobody who cared about them. Nobody, that is, until Father Grol took it upon himself to help these young destitutes of the streets. He founded for them, the organisation "Undugu", a Swahili word for "brotherhood" and "solidarity". Later on, his work among those "hard to reach" included a ministry for the prisoners in Kenya's jails. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 August 1997) * Kenya. Message from the Catholic Bishops - On 27 August, the Catholic Bishops of Kenya issued a Message, following recent events in Coast Province. The bishops said: "We, the Catholic Bishops, are together with you in these very critical days when we all sense that something very wrong is happening in Kenya. Along with other religious leaders, we are using all our authority, all our influence, to fulfil the words of our National Anthem that "we dwell in unity, peace and liberty"". The bishops went on to emphasize that "all of us cannot be mere spectators, we must do something about the shameful dramas which are taking place these days in our beloved country". (Catholic Secretariat, Kenya, 27 August 1997) * Liberia. Taylor looking for jet - On 18 August, state radio reported that President Charles Taylor is shopping around for a presidential jet and has inspected one belonging to a Nigerian tycoon. It said officials of the Liberia Investment Commission were negotiating with Alhaji Mohammed Dan Kabo, owner of Nigeria's Kabo Air, for a 25-seater British-made BAC-111. The cost of the 15-year- old plane is put at $5 million. Taylor was on hand at Monrovia's Robertfield Airport when Kabo brought the plane for inspection a week ago. The former guerrilla leader boarded the aircraft and looked pleased with its plush interior, witnesses said. The radio said the plane would facilitate the travel of the president, who took office just over two weeks ago after winning elections marking the end of a seven-year civil war. A leading Liberian independent daily, The News, denounced the planned purchase as a "neglect of the Liberian masses," noting that civil servants were owed up to a year of salary arrears. Liberia has no national carrier and only two airlines operating from Abidjan have scheduled flights to its war-battered capital. (AFJN, Washington, 21 August 1997) * Libye. Sommet de chefs d'Etat - Un sommet reunissant autour du colonel Kadhafi quatre chefs d'Etat africains de la zone sahelo- saharienne s'est acheve le 17 aout a Tripoli. Dans un communique, les presidents burkinabe, malien, nigerien et tchadien ont appele, a la fin du sommet, a une enquete de l'ONU sur les effets des sanctions imposees a la Libye en raison de l'affaire de Lockerbie. Les chefs d'Etat ont exhorte le secretaire general de l'ONU a "depecher rapidement une commission d'enquete en Libye pour prendre connaissance des souffrances endurees par le peuple libyen en raison des sanctions qui lui sont imposees par le Conseil de securite". (Marches Tropicaux, France, 22 aout 1997 * Mali. Konare urges democracy - A mini African summit hosted by Libya's Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi and attended by Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare, Chadian President Idriss Deby, Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, and Niger President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, ended in Tripoli on 16 August. Before leaving for Tripoli, President Alpha Oumar Konare embarked on a series of meetings with political parties and socioprofessional groups to seek an end to the political crisis. He reiterated that negotiations were on the right track. He said: "Strides have definitely been made, and we will continue negotiations at the beginning of the week. I am convinced that we have the means, and I repeat, we have the means to turn these difficulties into a sure victory for Malian democracy and the Malian people. All that we need is a lot of goodwill. We need to rise above our various interests. We have no option but to move in that direction. I am saying this because no one wants to take the risk of turning Mali into a battlefield. That is not Mali's role, and it is not our role either. I am convinced and I wish to say loud and clear that we have the means to ensure that we win the challenge we took up a few years ago and that the turning point we reached remains definitive." (AFJN, Washington, 21 August 1997) * Mozambique. Debt relief worth $1.5bn - Mozambique should be granted debt relief worth up to $1.5bn to reduce the burden of its external borrowing to sustainable levels, according to confidential proposals drawn up by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The assistance programme would be the largest considered so far, under the "highly-indebted poor country initiative" which is being co-ordinated by the two Washington-based institutions. Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world, with national income of $90 per head in 1996. The proposal will be discussed by the executive directors of the bank and the IMF, early next month. The institutions believe the relief should be delivered at a "completion point" in mid-1999, although some directors are believed to favour delay until mid-2000. (Financial Times, U.K., 27 August 1997) * Rwanda. Massacre de refugies - Quelque 120 Tutsi ont ete massacres en pleine nuit, le 22 aout, par des inconnus dans un camp de refugies de l'ouest du Rwanda, a declare le HCR. Trente personnes ont egalement ete blessees parmi les refugies venus du Congo (RDC), selon un porte-parole du HCR, Pamela O'Toole. La plupart des victimes ont ete tuees a coups de machette. Le camp abrite quelque 8.000 Tutsi qui avaient fui les combats entre Hutu et Tutsi dans la region du Masisi, dans l'est de l'ex-Zaire, en 1995-96. (La Libre Belgique, 23 aout 1997) * Rwanda. Massacre at Tutsi camp - The UNHCR says that at least 118 Tutsi refugees from the former Zaire have been killed and 87 wounded in an attack on a camp on Rwanda's north-west border region of Gisenyi. A spokeswoman, Pamela O'Toole, said that preliminary reports indicated that the Tutsis, who had fled fighting in that Masisi region in east Zaire (now Congo RDC), were massacred by unidentified attackers just before dawn on 22 August. She said that the massacre at Mudende camp was reported to the UNHCR by Adventist Relief, an aid agency working in the camp. On 26 August, Human Rights Watch and the Federation of International Human Rights Leagues, condemned the massacre of the refugees. The statement gives the number of people killed as more than 130. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 August 1997) * Rwanda. Hunt for genocide suspects - On 26 August, The UNHCR said it would begin a screening operation for Rwandan Hutus in former Zaire, to weed out genuine refugees from those suspected of killing in the genocide more than three years ago. The refugees are among the rump of some 2m Rwandan Hutus who fled in fear of reprisal for the 1994 Hutu-led genocide of Tutsis which left half a million dead. Spokesman Fernando del Mundo said those suspected of taking part in the genocide would be denied refugee status following interviews with about 17,000 Rwandan Hutus conducted by more that 30 UNHCR lawyers. It is unclear how exactly the refugee agency will separate the guilty from the innocent. (Financial Times, U.K., August 27 1997) * Senegal. La paix torpillee en Casamance - * Le processus de paix engage cette annee est dramatiquement enraye en Casamance: 25 militaires, portes disparus depuis le 19, ont ete retrouves morts le 22 aout. Les militaires avaient ete portes disparus a l'issue d'un accrochage avec les militants du Mouvement des forces independantistes de Casamance, survenu au cours d'une operation de ratissage dans la region de Ziguinchor. Les incidents entre independantites et militaires se sont multiplies ces cinq dernieres semaines, alors qu'une dynamique de paix etait a nouveau engagee sous l'egide de l'ambassadeur de France. La Casamance est une ancienne colonie portugaise devenue francaise en 1888 a la suite d'un troc et est separee du reste du Senegal par la Gambie. Mais la separation est surtout culturelle. De nombreuses intiatives de paix ont deja eu lieu au Senegal, mais ces efforts risquent d'etre hypotheques par la reprise de la violence. (D'apres Le Soir, Belgique, 23 aout 1997) * Sierra Leone. Junta decrees curfew on capital - On 19 August, the junta clamped a curfew on Freetown in anticipation of external intervention to oust the ruling junta. The 10pm to 6am, curfew will also cover the capital's outlying western district. A spokesman said the measure was prompted by growing internal unrest, but was mainly to deal with threats of military intervention by Sierra Leone's West African neighbours. (InfoBeat, USA, 21 August 1997) * Sierra Leone. La confusion persiste - La junte au pouvoir tente de controler la situation alors que celle-ci demeure des plus confuses. Le 20 aout, les autorites de Freetown ont interdit tout trafic maritime autour de la capitale et instaure un couvre-feu par crainte d'une attaque maritime des Kamajors, les chasseurs traditionnels favorables au president Kabbah et qui seraient, selon la junte, soutenus par des experts militaires nigerians. La junte a interdit aussi tout trafic maritime autour de la peninsule de Lungi (ou se trouve l'aeroport) et vers les ports de la capitale. D'autre part, elle aurait repris la ville miniere de Tongo, a 240 km a l'est de Freetown. Sur la scene diplomatique, les contacts se succedent, mais la situation n'a guere evolue. Et le Conseil de securite de l'ONU, a sa reunion du 19 aout, n'a pas pu aboutir a une decision concernant l'application ou non de sanctions. Ses membres ont declare preferer coordonner leur action avec les Etats d'Afrique de l'Ouest. (Marches Tropicaux, France, 22 aout 1997) * South Africa. Catholic Church Submission to the TRC - In September 1996, the Catholic Church made a Submission to the TRC. It took the form of a 60-page book entitled: "The Catholic Church and Apartheid" and basically outlined the role of the Catholic Church, from the inception of constitutional Apartheid in 1948, to the inauguration of the State President in May 1994. The Submission was acknowledged in a letter from the Research Department of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) dated October 7, 1996 and signed by Charles Villa-Vicencio. This Submission represented a very broad outline of the Catholic Church involvement over the years. The Catholic Church has now received a letter from the TRC dated 29 May 1997, signed by Commissioner Wynand Malan, asking specific questions. Another Submission has now been prepared (15 August 1997), dealing with these specific questions asked by Mr Malan, and acts as a supplementary Submission to the one sent last year. (SACBC, 15 August, 1997) * South Africa. TRC - 22 August: The TRC says that it has subpoenaed Winnie Mandela to answer questions about the deaths and disappearances of children. Winnie Mandela was fined for having kidnapped a boy, but suspicions persist that the whole truth about her role has yet to emerge. the parents of at least two other black children who disappeared in Soweto at the time of the youth's murder, have asked the TRC to try to find out what happened to the boys. The same day, in a statement, Dr Alex Boraine, acting chairperson of the TRC, says that despite predictions that amnesty hearings will not be completed, the Commission must end its work by the scheduled date of March next year. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 25 August 1997) * South Africa. De Klerk to quit political life - On 26 August, South Africa's former white president, F.W.de Klerk, who dismantled apartheid along with Nelson Mandela, and who led the country to democracy, announced that he was quitting as leader of the opposition National Party. De Klerk, 61, who freed Nelson Mandela and negotiated his white government out of power, said he was leaving after more than eight years in the job, to allow the party to rejuvenate itself and to help it overcome the stigma of apartheid. His successor as party leader will be chosen by its electoral college on September 9. De Klerk's decision comes at a time when the party -- seemingly hopelessly compromised by its identification with apartheid -- is in danger of becoming a spent force. Recent polls indicate that support, even among whites, is sliding. De Klerk's announcement drew a mixed response from politicians. Nelson Mandela, who shared a Nobel peace price with him, but who has also been sharply critical of him, said he deserved an "honourable place" in South African history. Rightwing Afrikaners, who accuse the National Party of selling out whites, reacted derisively. By the time the constitution was formally endorsed by the country's assembly in May 1996, relations has deteriorated between De Klerk and Nelson Mandela. De Klerk pursued his belief that the National Party could jettison its apartheid baggage, and appeal to enough black voters to make it an effective opposition capable of challenging the ANC in the 1999 election. On 27 August, a spokesman for Hernus Kriel, Premier of the Western Cape Province, and favourite to win the leadership, said that if Mr Kriel is elected leader on 9 September, he would "probably" exercise the National party's right to rejoin the government. (Financial Times, U.K., 27-28 August 1997) * South Africa. Central bank snubs IMF on rand defence - On 26 August, the South African Reserve Bank rejected advice from the International Monetary Fund urging it to withdraw from international currency markets, and moderate its defence of the rand. Last year the rand lost 21% of its value against a basket of foreign currencies, and at its weakest point declined by 28% against the dollar. The rand recovered between November and March, but has experienced renewed volatility in recent months as Mr.Stals, the bank's governor, waged a war of attrition against currency speculators. According to Mr.Stals, the bank shared the IMFžs long-term objective of reducing the bank's role in the forward currency market, but it would continue to emulate just about every emerging country by maintaining some kind of hedging policy to limit exposure to foreign currencies. (Financial Times; U.K., 27 August 1997) * Swaziland. Pressurising Swazi TV - The government of Swaziland is putting pressure on the nation's public broadcaster, Swaziland Television, to hand over video footage, which, it says, contains an "illegal message". According to sources at Swaziland Television who asked for anonymity, Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini has ordered the station to hand over the video footage for examination by his office. Afraid to be named, the station's journalists said that on 21 August, they had broadcast a news item, on plans by the country's trade unions to hold a meeting that coming weekend. (IFEX, Canada, 26 August 1997) * Tunisia. Tourism earnings up - On 26 August, official statistics showed that Tunisia's earnings from tourism, its main source of hard currency, amounted to 1.413bn dinars ($1.229bn) in 1996, up 6.8% from 1.323bn dinars in 1995, official statistics. The number of tourists was 3.8m, down 5.7% from 4.1m the previous year, a central bank report said. Visitors from European countries rose 7% to 2.5m from 2.357m, representing 65% of the total. Visitors from Maghreb countries, mainly Algeria and Libya, fell 24.8% to 1.2m from 1.6m. (Financial Times, U.K., 27 August 1997) * UCIP. World Congress 1998 - The International Catholic Union of the Press (UCIP) has confirmed that its next world congress and the world convention of the International Network of Young Journalists, will be held from 12-19 September 1998 at the UNESCO headquarters, Paris, France. The Congress theme will be: "Print Media Tomorrow: Its Assets and Potentials." The subtitle will be: "Spiritual Convictions and Professional Practice". There could be minor changes in the wording. (UCIP Information, September 1997) * Uganda. ADF abducts 19 students - On 18 August, military sources said that Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) had abducted 19 Roman Catholic seminary students and two staff from southwest Uganda. They said that a total of 39 students and two workers from Saint John's Seminary in Kasese district were abducted on 16 August, but 20 of the students had managed to escape by 17 August. "These rebels took the children as porters, as shields, and have taken them into the mountains. The military is in pursuit but we have to be careful not to anger the kidnappers," Minister of State for Defence Minister Amama Mbabazi said. He said the rebels shot and wounded two students during the attack, some 380 km (235 miles) west of the Ugandan capital. State radio described the abductors as "bandits". (AFJN, Washington, 21 August 1997) * Ouganda. Enlevement de seminaristes - Mgr. Egidio Nkaijanabwo, eveque du diocese de Kasese, a confirme que dernierement 19 seminaristes ont ete enleves par des rebelles, probablement des membres de l'Alliance des forces democratiques. L'eveque ne croit pas que des motifs religieux aient joue dans l'enlevement. (De Standaard, Belgique, 22 aout 1997) * Zambie. La police tire sur Kaunda - Kenneth Kaunda, l'ancien chef de l'Etat zambien, a ete legerement blesse par balles, le 23 aout, au cours d'une intervention de la police contre des membres de l'opposition. Il s'appretait a prononcer un discours lors d'une reunion publique quand les forces de l'ordre ont voulu disperser le rassemblement. K. Kaunda, 73 ans, estime avoir echappe a "une tentatice d'assassinat" commanditee par l'actuel president Franck Chiluba. (Liberation, France, 25 aout 1997) * Zambia. Kaunda shot - On 24 August, Zambia's former president, Kenneth Kaunda, said that his successor, President Chiluba, was trying to have him killed. Kaunda said this after being shot by police at the weekend. The 73-year-old "father of the nation", who led Zambia from independence in 1964 until 1991, accused riot police, sent out in force, of using tear gas to break up a peaceful opposition gathering, and of opening fire on his car as he tried to flee. Mr Kaunda said that a bullet whizzed over him, grazing the top of his head, while another hit his passenger, Roger Chongwe, leader of an allied opposition party, in the face, badly wounding him. On 25 August, vice-president Godfrey Miyanda denied that the government had ordered the police to shoot Kaunda. He promised an inquiry if live ammunition had been used. (The Guardian, U.K., 25-26 August 1997) * Zambia. Civic body calls for aid cuts over shooting - On 26 August, a leading Zambian civic group said that it would lobby donors to cut aid to the country, in protest against an apparent assassination attempt by police on former President Kenneth Kaunda. On 23 August, police shot and wounded Kaunda and another opposition leader, former Legal Affairs Minister Rodger Chongwe, after disrupting a political rally they had planned in the central town of Kabwe. Both are recuperating. Sichone said donors erred by lifting a yearlong aid squeeze imposed because of concerns over issues of governance. (InfoBeat, USA, 26 August 1997) * Zimbabwe. War veterans threaten to occupy farms - On 21 August, Zimbabwe's guerrilla war veterans threatened to occupy white-owned farms if the government failed to give them land by next July. The threat was included in demands that representatives that representatives of the former fighters in the country's war of independence from Britain presented to President Mugabe at a meeting. The sitting was held to try to resolve a dispute over Mr Mugabe's suspension in March of a war victim's compensation fund. The meeting, from which international reporters were barred, follows weeks of violent protests by the veterans aimed at forcing Mr Mugabe to resume compensation payments. (The Guardian, U.K., 22 August 1997) * Zimbabwe. Minister admits to undeserved payments - On 26 August, a Zimbabwean cabinet minister said she had received money she did not deserve, from a war victims' compensation fund but had repaid it. The fund was suspended in March to allow an investigation into charges that high-level officials had looted it. Rural Resources and Water Development Minister Joyce Mujuru told a judicial commission looking into the charges, that she was awarded $32,827 in 1995. Mujuru was the first cabinet minister to admit publicly that she was not entitled to any money she got from the fund. (InfoBeat, USA, 26 August 1997) ===== ARTICLES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST ====> 1 - SOUTH AFRICA == Title: Catholic Church Submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 15 August 1997 == Description: In September 1996, the Catholic Church made a Submission to the TRC, in the form of a 60-page book entitled "The Catholic Church and Apartheid". This basically outlined the role of the Catholic Church from the inception of constitutional Apartheid in 1948, to the inauguration of the State President in May 1994. The Submission represented a very broad outline of the Catholic Church's involvement over the years. A letter has now been received from the TRC asking specific questions. The replies to these questions act as a supplementary Submission to the one sent last year. IMPORTANT: === ASK FOR: 1. ANB/TRC.WP - if you wont it in Word Perfect 5.1 format 2. ANB/TRC.DOC - if you wont it in Win-Word 6 format 3. ANB/TRC.TXT - if you wont it in ASCII text ====> 2 - KENYA === Title: A Message from the Catholic Bishops of Kenya, Following Recent Events in Coast Province. 27 August 1997 === Source: Kenya Episcopal Conference, Catholic Secretariat, Nairobi, 27 August 1997. === Description: The bishops begin their Message by stating that "We, the Catholic Bishops, are together with you in these very critical days when we all sense that something very wrong is happening in Kenya". The Bishops then affirm that as religious leaders they must speak out and that if they keep silent they will be condemned. IMPORTANT: === ASK FOR: 1. ANB/KEN-KEC.WP - if you wont it in Word Perfect 5.1 format 2. ANB/KEN-KEC.DOC - if you wont it in Win-Word 6 format 3. ANB/KEN-KEC.TXT - if you wont it in ASCII text ====> 3 - MALI === Titre: Message des Chefs religieux au peuple malien === Description: Un message et un appel des chefs religieux du Mali: AMUPI (islam), EGL. CATHOLIQUE et EGL. PROTESTANTE) au peuple malien, a la veille des elections legislatives. Le massage est date du 16 juillet, mais nous ne l'avons recu que cette semaine... IMPORTANT: === DEMANDER POUR: 1. ANB/MAL-REL.WP - si on veut le texte en format Word Perfect 5.1 2. ANB/KEN-KEC.DOC - si on veut le texte en format Win Word 6 3. ANB/KEN-KEC.TXT - si on veut le texte en format ASCII